Biography of Elmer Bargo of Goose Lake Township, Illinois

Bargo, Elmer – The fundamental industry of farming is becoming generally recognized as being so important as to loom up large among other callings of the world. Not only are all the leading colleges and universities including agricultural departments in their courses of study, but there are a number of educational institutions which are devoted to the science of agriculture. The government of each State, following the example of the national government, is giving attention to the encouragement of farmers, and the men who till the soil are feeling the effect of this universal impetus, and working accordingly. One of the substantial agriculturalists of Grundy County whose fertile farm shows the effect of his adoption of modern methods is Elmer Bargo of Goose Lake Township. Mr. Bargo was born in Wauponsee Township, in January, 1876, a son of Joseph and Sarah (Carpenter) Bargo, natives of Canada and Indiana, respectively. The father came to Morris, Ill., with an aunt after the death of his mother. The maternal grandparents, Reese and Emily (Smith) Carpenter of Ohio, came to Goose Lake Township during the Civil War, and lived on forty acres of land there. Joseph Bargo and Sarah Carpenter met in Goose Lake Township, where they married, and then settled in Wauponsee Township, living there until 1889, when they moved to Goose Lake Township, which continues to be their home.

Elmer Bargo grew up in Wauponsee Township, where he attended the district schools, and learned to farm. On August 29, 1899, he was married to Maggie Perry, born in Goose Lake Township, daughter of George and Mary (Watson) Perry, the former of whom was born in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Bargo are the parents of three children: Rollin, Mildred and Alice. Prior to his marriage, Mr. Bargo had lived with his parents, but immediately thereafter bought a farm of 100 acres in Goose Lake Township, where he has since resided, carrying on general farming in a very successful manner. In politics he is a Republican, and served three years as road commissioner, and has been township collector since 1907. A man of enterprise, he has forged ahead, and now stands high among his fellow agriculturalists of Grundy County.

"Let the record be made of the men and things of to-day, lest they pass out of memory to-morrow and are lost. Then perpetuate them not upon wood or stone that crumble to dust, but upon paper, chronicled in picture and in words that endure forever." --Kirkland

The Will Grundy Genealogical Society (WGGS) is providing volunteers to assist researchers by responding to queries from these pages. These volunteers represent WGGS in a joint effort with ILGenWeb to assist researchers with their Grundy County genealogy.